– The Rangers were defeated by the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-2, tonight in Game 4 of the Metropolitan Division Finals at Madison Square Garden. The Blueshirts trail the best-of-seven series, three games to one.

– The Blueshirts have posted a 5-6 record in the playoffs this year, including a 3-3 record at home.

– New York was credited with 28 hits in the contest, as 13 different skaters recorded at least one hit, while eight Rangers were credited with at least two hits. The Blueshirts rank second in the NHL, and first in the Eastern Conference, in hits in the playoffs (339; 30.8 hits per game).

– The Blueshirts were credited with 20 blocked shots in the contest, as nine different skaters recorded at least one blocked shot, and three were credited with at least three. The Rangers lead the NHL with 196 blocked shots in the playoffs (17.8 blocked shots per game).

– The Rangers allowed 27 shots on goal against in the game. New York has held its opponents to 30 shots on goal or fewer in eight of 11 playoff contests this year, including all six postseason games at Madison Square Garden. The Blueshirts rank second in the NHL, and first in the Eastern Conference, in shots against per game in the playoffs (26.5), and have allowed 135 shots on goal at home in the postseason (22.5 shots against per game).

Player notes:

– Carl Hagelin tallied a goal and recorded two shots on goal in 14:56 of ice time. The Rangers forward is tied for the team lead in goals (three), is tied for second on the team in points (six), and is tied for fourth on the team in shots on goal (23) in the playoffs. Hagelin has registered seven points (four goals, three assists), along with a plus-four rating in his last 10 playoff games at Madison Square Garden.

– Mats Zuccarello registered a goal, was credited with a team-high, five hits, and blocked two shots in 17:50 of ice time. Zuccarello is tied for the team lead in goals (three), is tied for fifth on the team in points (five), fourth in shots on goal (23), and ranks third on the team in hits (29) in the playoffs.

– Anton Stralman tallied an assist and was credited with two blocked shots in 19:28 of ice time. The Rangers defenseman has recorded three assists in his last six playoff games, including two assists in his last three playoff games at Madison Square Garden. Stralman is tied for fifth on the team, and ranks second among defensemen, in assists (three), and is tied for third on the team in plus/minus rating (plus-three) in the playoffs.

– Marc Staal registered an assist and tied for the game-high with four blocked shots in 18:42 of ice time. The Rangers defenseman ranks third on the team in blocked shots (23) and average ice time (20:01) in the playoffs.

– Ryan McDonagh recorded an assist and tied for the game-high with four blocked shots, while skating in a team-high, 26:07 of ice time. The Rangers defenseman leads the team in average ice time (24:53) and ranks second on the team – and sixth in the NHL – in blocked shots (26) in the playoffs.

– Henrik Lundqvist made 23 saves in the contest. The Rangers goaltender has a 5-6 record in the playoffs, including a 3-3 mark at home, along with a 2.27 GAA and a .915 SV%. Lundqvist ranks fifth in the NHL in GAA and SV% in postseason play this year.

– Dan Girardi was credited with two hits and three blocked shots in 24:52 of ice time. The Rangers defenseman leads the team in blocked shots (30) and ranks second on the team in hits (37) in postseason play. Girardi ranks second in the NHL in blocked shots and fifth in the NHL in hits in the playoffs.

– Brian Boyle was credited with three hits in 11:25 of ice time. The Rangers forward leads the team and ranks fourth in the NHL in hits (38) in the playoffs.

Quotebook:

Alain Vigneault on tonight’s game… “We didn’t pick a good night to manage the puck the way we did tonight. I don’t want to take any credit against Pittsburgh, they forced the play and they played a real solid game without the puck that obviously forced us into a lot of those turnovers. Our puck management tonight and execution tonight weren’t very good and ultimately cost us the game.

Henrik Lundqvist on the series… “I think when you play against this team you have to realize that every little play matters. They have the skill, and they do make you pay if you are not careful. I think we did a good job of that in the first game, just playing a very simple game. That’s how we have to go there. Every little play matters against this team, especially in the playoffs when sometimes it might be hard to create that big scoring chance. We just have to stick together. It’s a tough feeling, no question, to lose two in a row at home here. We will try to learn from the last two games and realize what we need to do better. Just look at yourself, what can I do better to help this team win? And that’s the way we all have to look at it right now.”

Brad Richards on the team’s play tonight… “We got in our own way and uncharacteristically didn’t execute and it mounted. It just seems like everything right now is going that way. The reason we met is because it can go the other way on anyone just as quick. The last thing we can do tonight is go home and think it is over. We witnessed it this year. We witnessed Chicago last year. Some of the tests you have to go through to get to where you want to go. For whatever reason, we’re getting tested right now. I don’t know where it’s going to go, but we have to forget about it quickly and we know we can play a lot better than that without even going over anything. We know we can execute and do things a lot better than that, so we will get right back into the battle. We all wish we were playing right away and can’t wait to get back in there. That’s when it will feel normal again, when we get back playing.”

Bjorn is not good enough. For $8.5m annually, he has to better than this. That money could have been spent on potential skill players. Can any of these players possess the puck without it bouncing off their sticks unforced? This roster needs a makeover. Nash has to be traded, even if he only nets a draft pick. Richards must be bought out.

Fatigue is not an excuse.

Breakaways and deflections aren’t excuses. Trash the excuses. The responsibility to stop the puck is ultimately that of Bjorn.

Nash is a playoff bust and needs to be traded maybe to Edmonton for one of their budding stars. It’s not over yet but AV froze at the stick. He kept rolling the same combos in the third with no shots and few hits against five Ds. Why not St. Louis with Kreider.

Hey, cooscoos, this netherworld of yours is so funny, I did yell your handle in the street the other day and you did not recognize it. I guess your identity is stronger in your “Asst. Prof” at this “college”, so you do not respond to a street holler.

Mister D
This series just shows that speed means nothing and it’s about winning battles.

Montreal and Boston are showing the opposite. The only thing this series is showing me is that when your top (paid) players have the ability to repeatedly no-show, bad things will happen and nice blogs will turn mad.

May 7th, 2014 at 10:31 PM

Mr D
I did not say size (which certainly doesn’t hurt), I said winning battles.
Mtl def has a smaller roster than bos, but they also don’t really have a lot of “soft” type players or players that don’t “seem” to be going all out every shift.

Speed helps but it can’t be all your team has, it has to have size, grit, and will as well. Rangers don’t have a lot of the latter 3 and this series shows without the other 3 speed is pretty useless.

The MSL trade will go down as one of the worst trades this franchise has ever made. And you just watch the lightning draft a superstar lottery pick next season with our pick because next season, this team will not make the playoffs.